The Adidas Box Hog 2 is arguably one of the most popular Boxing Shoes available currently and is a great choice in the sport of boxing, but how do they stack up as Powerlifting Shoes?
Note, this Adidas Box Hog 2 review is primarily aimed at powerlifters and weight training, however, if you are a boxer who found their way to my review, there is still some relevant information about the shoe in regards to boxing that you may find helpful.
The Adidas Box Hog 2 Boxing Shoes are a good shoe to consider if you are weight training on a budget. The Box Hog 2 Boxing Shoes have several features that make them a surprisingly practical choice for Powerlifting:
- Their low profile makes them great for Deadlifting.
- Their flat sole is ideal for low bar Squats.
- Their outsole is suitably grippy and provides enough traction for Sumo Deadlifts.
- Their high top design provides a lot of ankle support.
- They are extremely cheap.
The Adidas Box Hog 2 does have some negatives, however:
- The light materials don’t offer a lot of support.
- They can be quite tedious to put on and take off.
- They run quite narrow, providing little lateral support.
Adidas Box Hog 2 Boxing Shoes | General Review
Quick Stats
The following stats are based on a US size 9.5:
- Weight – 235g
- Length – 280mm
- Max Width – 94mm
- Heel Width – 64mm
- Sole Height – 22mm
- Max Height – 185mm
Looks
If you’ve ever watched Boxing before, then chances are you will be familiar with the looks of boxing shoes such as the Adidas Box Hog 2.
The most common feature is the extremely high topped design which is crucial in the sport of boxing to provide support to the boxer’s ankles.
The entirety of the Box Hog 2 is constructed from a mesh canvas with a suede-like material surrounding the toe cap and bolstering the eyelets.
Color choice is pretty limited, you can choose from black or… black. I went for the black myself. Of course, the famous Adidas stripe in white features on both sides of the shoe to break up the black.
The outsole design has a simple wave pattern and comes in white.
Overall, it’s a very no thrills, classic design but certainly nothing to shout about.
Rating – 6/10
Fit
Maybe it’s just because I’m not familiar with Boxing Boots, however, I found getting the Box Hog 2s on and off to be a very tedious affair.
The very high ankle support and snug fit meant getting my foot in and out was a struggle. Perhaps there’s a technique to it that I’m just not aware of, but for me to get them on and off meant completely unlacing the boot right down to the midfoot and then relacing all the way up the boot again once my foot was in.
Once my foot was in the boot though, the fit was very snug and supportive.
I was only able to try out the shoe half a size down from my usual size so things were a touch cramped, this problem would easily be solved by having my normal size though.
The overall fit runs narrow, this includes the toe box, which is probably to be expected of Boxing Boots.
Generally, the fit is perfectly good, there’s nothing particularly outstanding about the fit of the Adidas Box Hog 2 and conversely, no show-stoppers either.
My only major negative is, of course, the hassle of putting them on and taking them off but I’ll reserve judgment as this will probably be my fault rather than the Boxing Boot’s.
Rating – 7/10
Comfort
The Adidas Box Hog 2 features a mesh canvas upper which is quite thin and breathable. This makes for very comfortable boxing shoes overall.
The high ankle support is also nice and snug around the ankle joint and leg and gives a generally supportive feel.
With the sole being low profile and the midsole being made from EVA, this results in the Adidas Box Hog 2 being quite incompressible underfoot. If your feet aren’t used to this, it has the potential to be quite uncomfortable, however, this should not be an issue for most.
Those with particularly high arches may find issue with the Box Hog 2s flat midfoot. I have average arches and found it to be perfectly comfortable.
Check out my article on foot strengthening if you are in need of some exercises to help you become more accustomed to boxing shoes or any other strength sport shoes for that matter, where a stiffer sole is more common.
I have also written an article on the benefits of barefoot training, which is also a worthwhile read.
Overall, the Adidas Box Hog 2 are comfortable boxing shoes and the mesh canvas is breathable, preventing your foot from getting too warm through use.
Those with high arches or weak feet may not agree with the flat sole design, however.
Rating – 8/10
Straps and Lacing
The Adidas Box Hog 2 does not feature any strap system, you can get boxing shoes with a strap, so this isn’t necessarily a feature that doesn’t offer benefits for a boxer.
As far as lacing goes, there’s nothing particularly special about the Box Hog 2. The suede material that is stitched into the shoe provides good strength to the eyelets and the laces themselves feel suitably robust.
Once fully laced up, the Box Hog 2 holds together well and maintains tightness throughout use.
Rating – 6/10
Grip/Traction
The Adidas Box Hog 2 are, of course, boxing shoes first and foremost, and all the footwork, shuffling, and pivoting a boxer does in the ring will naturally require good grip response from their shoes.
It won’t come as a surprise then, to see that the Adidas Box Hog 2 scored well in the Powerlifting Perfection Grip Test, scoring 0.77, which speaks volumes for the grip response of the Box Hog 2, considering how light boxing shoes are.
Rating – 7/10
Price
The Adidas Box Hog 2 is incredibly cost-effective!
As boxing shoes, they don’t require a lot of different materials and features, which helps drive down cost considerably compared with most shoes on the market nowadays.
At the price, its a worthwhile gamble if you’re looking for a pair of powerlifting shoes as there isn’t a whole lot to lose if they turn out not to be suitable.
You can check the latest prices on Amazon.
Rating – 10/10
Adidas Box Hog 2 for Deadlifts
Many of the features of Boxing Boots that make them suitable for the sport of boxing are also useful features in the sport of Powerlifting, particularly when it comes to the Deadlift.
For this reason, the Adidas Box Hog 2 makes for a surprisingly good option for deadlifting.
Conventional Deadlift
The Adidas Box Hog’s low profile sets it up nicely for conventional deadlifts, this allows your feet to be closer to the floor and allows for a shorter bar path and less requirement to bend over to reach the bar, ultimately making the deadlift that little bit easier to execute.
The incompressible sole design also provides a good platform to push from, again aiding the deadlift overall.
The high top design and ankle support it brings also works well in the conventional deadlift, lowering the risk of ankle instability and balance issues.
The only real negative to speak of is that the Box Hog is quite narrow, which does heighten the risk of getting caught out of position but this is a minor niggle.
Sumo Deadlift
Much of the same positives highlighted above are equally relevant for the sumo deadlift too.
Where the sumo deadlift differs from the conventional is the added requirement for grip or traction and further lateral support from a powerlifting shoe.
The Adidas Box Hog 2 offers more than enough grip for the sumo deadlift and at no point did I feel like I would slip while lifting.
Although the Box Hog 2 offers good ankle support, there wasn’t a lot of lateral support from the shoe, unfortunately, and I could feel more foot rolling over the edge of the sole at times.
To be fair this sort of stress is not something Boxing Boots are built for so it would be unfair to expect it from the Box Hogs here.
Overall, for Boxing Boots, the Adidas Box Hog 2 performs quite well in the deadlift. If you are a conventional deadlifter especially, they are worth a look.
For alternative options for the deadlift, check out my article on powerlifting shoes for the deadlift.
Adidas Box Hog 2 for Squats
As the Adidas Box Hog 2 is a flat-soled shoe, I would not recommend it if you are a high bar squatter unless you have particularly good ankle mobility.
You can check out my article on flat shoes vs heels for the squat for a detailed breakdown on this reasoning.
I also have an article on high bar vs low bar squats, for those unfamiliar with the difference.
If you are, in fact, more of a narrow stance, high bar squatter, check out my top 5 recommendations for weightlifting shoes for squats, which will suit your needs a lot better.
For low bar squatting, the Adidas Box Hog 2 does an alright job, it’s not a bad option, especially at the price, but there are a lot better if you are willing to spend a little more.
The levels of grip provide good feedback response when screwing into the floor as you lift, which is exactly what you need in a low bar squat.
Like with the deadlift though, there are some issues with lateral support and I did feel my foot rolling over the edge of the sole ever so slightly as I torque into the floor.
The narrow toe box was also an issue as it prevented me from spreading my toes out as much as I’d like.
Overall, the Adidas Box Hog 2 did fine, but I’m not sure I would rely on it when low bar squatting.
If you are on a budget, I would recommend the similarly priced Adidas HVC 2, which is a bit more akin to a Powerlifting Shoe in terms of performance.
If you are willing to spend a little extra, I would highly recommend the Sabo Deadlift Shoe, which although clearly designed for the deadlift, is also an outstanding powerlifting shoe for low bar squatting.
Adidas Box Hog 2 Review | Final Thoughts
The Adidas Box Hog 2 are an interesting option as a powerlifting shoe, predominantly because they are designed and marketed as boxing shoes.
Given their extremely low cost though, they are worth considering if you are on a tight budget and are just looking for something that will “do the job” as it were.
As a powerlifting shoe, the Adidas Box Hog 2 is best suited to conventional deadlifts. It does an ok job of sumo deadlifts and low bar squats too, however, the lateral support required in both of these lifts is not quite present in the Box Hog.
Still, I would consider the Adidas Box Hog 2 for more general weight training or when I’m traveling and can’t bring all my usual gear with me and if I ever decide to take up boxing, I know the perfect pair of Boxing Shoes to use!
